Pack for smoking articles

ABSTRACT

A pack for smoking articles such as cigarettes comprises a plurality of planar panels, and a blank for producing such a pack. At least one of the panels includes a plurality of formations extending out of the plane of a surface of the or each panel. The formations may be formed by an embossing method. The formations may provide protection for the contents of the pack from subsequent processes performed thereon.

CLAIM FOR PRIORITY

This application is a Continuation of, and claims priority under 35U.S.C. §120 to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/341,810, filed Dec.22, 2008 and entitled “Pack for Smoking Articles.” The entire contentsof the aforementioned application are herein expressly incorporated byreference.

FIELD

The present invention is directed generally to packaging, andspecifically to a PACK FOR SMOKING ARTICLES, particularly but notexclusively a pack for cigarettes.

BACKGROUND

Conventional packs for cigarettes may be fabricated from a blank ofboard, for example cardboard, that comprises front and rear panelsconnected by opposite side panels, a bottom panel and a lid. Thesurfaces of such packs are generally smooth. Heat is applied to packsduring the manufacturing and packaging process, for example, during thepackaging process involving wrapping the pack in a clear plasticwrapping of polypropylene or the like. This wrapping is sealed in placeby heating elements pressed against the wrap on the pack surface, or bythe whole pack being passed through a heating station containing heatingelements, which heat the wrapping to shrink-wrap the wrapping onto thepack.

SUMMARY

During the manufacturing and packaging process of conventional packs,the smoking articles, and in particular the tobacco contained therein,may be adversely affected by the heat which the pack is subjected to(e.g., from the heat-sealing of the wrapper, etc.). This heat canadversely affect the smoking articles, including causing moisture lossfrom the smoking articles contained in the pack, degrading the qualityand shelf life of the smoking articles. Another drawback of conventionalpacks is that a user, during opening and subsequent use of the pack, mayhave a low purchase on the conventional pack due to the smooth-facedwalls of the pack.

This disclosure discusses aspects of a pack for smoking articles, oneobject which is to provide pack for smoking articles which substantiallyalleviates or overcomes the problems mentioned above. According to oneembodiment, there is provided a pack for smoking articles comprising aplurality of planar panels, such as major front and rear planar panelsand minor side planar panels configured to form a pack, wherein at leastone of the panels includes a plurality of formations extending out ofthe plane of a surface of the or each panel. For example, at least oneof the major panels may include a plurality of discrete protrusionsspaced from each other and projecting outwardly from an outer surface ofthe or each major panel(s).

In some embodiments of the invention, the pack may comprise front andrear panels connected by opposite side panels a bottom panel and a toppanel, and at least one of the front and/or rear panels may include theplurality of formations.

In some embodiments, both the front and rear panels may include saidformations, and/or the side panels may include said formations. Infurther embodiments, the top panel may include said formations, and/orthe bottom panel may include said formations. In one embodiment, the toppanel comprises a lid, and in one implementation, the lid comprises aflip top.

In some embodiments, the formations may be embossed and the pack may befabricated from sheet material and the formations may be formed in thethickness of the sheet material. The sheet material may include, but isnot limited to, cardboard and/or like materials.

In one implementation, formations may be formed on substantially theentire surface area of the panel(s), while in another implementation,formations may be formed on only a portion of the surface area of thepanel(s).

In some embodiments, the plurality of formations may compriseprotuberances projecting from a surface of one or more of the panels.Depending on the implementation, the protuberances may project from theouter surface(s) of the panel(s), from the inner surface(s) of thepanel(s), and/or from both the outer surface(s) and the inner surface(s)of the panel(s).

In some embodiments, the or each panel may include between 5-2000protuberances, and may include between 10-1000 protuberances, and mayinclude between 50-750 protuberances.

All of the protuberances may, in some embodiments, project from thesurface(s) of the panel(s) by the same distance. In someimplementations, the protuberances may be generally circular and convexin shape.

In one implementation, the protuberances may be formed in regular rowsand columns on the panel surface(s).

The pack may also include an outer wrapper spaced from the surface ofthe panel(s) of the pack by said protuberances.

The plurality of formations may also comprise depressions extending intoa surface of the or each panel. The depressions may extend into theouter surface(s) of the panel(s), or the depressions may extend into theinner surface(s) of the panel(s), or the depressions may extend intoboth the outer surface(s) and the inner surface(s) of the panel(s).

In some embodiments, the or each panel may include between 5-2000depressions, and may include between 10-1000 depressions, and mayinclude between 50-750 depressions.

The depressions may, in some embodiments, all extend into the surface(s)of the panel(s) by the same distance. In some implementations thedepressions may be generally circular and concave in shape.

In one implementation, the depressions may be formed in regular rows andcolumns on the panel surface(s).

In some embodiments, the pack may further include an inner frame withinthe pack, and the pack may comprise a front panel which includes acut-out portion which exposes a portion of the inner frame. In oneembodiment, the exposed portion of the inner frame may be printed withindicia or graphics.

Depending on the implementation, the corner edges of the pack may bebeveled, curved, and/or rectangular.

In one embodiment, the pack may contain smoking articles. Smokingarticles may comprise, but are not limited to, cigarettes.

In one implementation, the pack may include both protuberances anddepressions as described above, formed in one or more of the pluralityof panels. In some implementations, the pack may include protuberancesas described above, formed in one or more of the plurality of panels.

The present invention also provides a blank for fabricating a pack forsmoking articles, comprising major front and rear planar panel portionsand minor side planar panel portions, wherein at least one of the majorpanel portions includes a plurality of discrete protrusions spaced fromeach other and projecting outwardly from a place of an outer surface ofthe or each panel portion.

In some implementations, the blank comprises front and rear panelportions, side panel portions, a bottom panel and portion to form a lid,wherein at least one of the front and/or rear panel portions may includethe plurality of formations.

The plurality of formations may comprise protuberances projecting from asurface of an at least one panel portion, and/or the plurality offormations may comprise depressions extending into a surface of an atleast one panel portion.

The present invention also provides a method of fabricating a pack forsmoking articles from a blank comprising a plurality of major front andrear planar panel portions and minor side panel portions, the methodcomprising forming in at least one of the major panel portions aplurality of discrete protrusions spaced from each other and projectingoutwardly from a place of an outer surface of the or each panel portion.

In one embodiment, the method includes embossing the blank to form theformations.

In some embodiments, the method may include feeding successive ones ofthe blank from a magazine thereof to an embossing station to form saidformations, and feeding the embossed blanks to a cigarette packagingmachine to be formed into packs filled with cigarettes.

In one implementation, the blank may comprise front and rear panelportions, side panel portions, a bottom panel and portion to form a lid,wherein the formations may comprise protuberances projecting from asurface of the or each panel portion.

The method may include wrapping the pack in an outer wrapping subsequentto the packs being filled with cigarettes, sealing the wrapping onto thepack using heat from a heater element and forming an air gap between thewrapping and the surface of the pack by the plurality of protuberancesspacing the wrapping from the pack surface.

In the method, the blank may comprise front and rear panel portions,side panel portions, a bottom panel and portion to form a lid, whereinthe formations may comprise depressions extending into a surface of theor each panel portion.

The method may include wrapping the pack in an outer wrapping subsequentto the packs being filled with cigarettes, sealing the wrapping onto thepack using heat from a heater element and forming a plurality of airgaps between the wrapping and the surface of the pack within theplurality of depressions spacing the wrapping from the pack surface.

As used herein, the term “smoking article” includes, but is not limitedto, smokeable products such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos whetherbased on tobacco, tobacco derivatives, expanded tobacco, reconstitutedtobacco or tobacco substitutes and also heat-not-burn products. Thesmoking article may be provided with a filter for the gaseous flow drawnby the smoker.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, embodiments ofthe invention are described, by way of illustrative example only, withreference to the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a cigarette pack of a firstembodiment of the invention from the front and one side with its lidclosed;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the pack of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the pack of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the pack of FIGS. 1 to 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a blank used for fabricating thepack shown in FIGS. 1 to 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A′ inFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is schematic illustration of a facility for packaging cigarettesin a pack as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4;

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of an embossing station for use inthe facility shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-section of theblank shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to that shown in FIG.6, but of a blank of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of an embossing station similar tothat shown in FIG. 8, but for use in producing the blank of the secondembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-section of theblank shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to that shown in FIG.6, but of a blank of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of an embossing station similar tothat shown in FIG. 8, but for use in producing the blank of the thirdembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-section of theblank shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to that shown in FIG.6, but of a blank of a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 17 is a schematic illustration of an embossing station similar tothat shown in FIG. 8, but for use in producing the blank of the fourthembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-section of theblank shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to that shown in FIG.6, but of a blank of a fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 20 is a schematic illustration of an embossing station similar tothat shown in FIG. 8, but for use in producing the blank of the fifthembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-section of theblank shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to that shown in FIG.6, but of a blank of a sixth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 23 is a schematic illustration of an embossing station similar tothat shown in FIG. 8, but for use in producing the blank of the sixthembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-section of theblank shown in FIG. 22;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a cigarette pack of a seventhembodiment of the invention from the front and one side with its lidclosed;

FIG. 26 shows the pack of FIG. 25 with the lid open;

FIG. 27 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to that shown in FIG.6, but of a blank of an eighth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 28 is a schematic illustration of an embossing station similar tothat shown in FIG. 8, but for use in producing the blank of the eighthembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-section of theblank shown in FIG. 27;

FIG. 30 is a top view of the pack in an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 31 is a bottom view of the pack in an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 32 is a right side view of the pack in an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 33 is a left side view of the pack in an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 34 is a top view of the pack showing curved edges in one embodimentof the invention;

FIG. 35 is an enlarged side view showing a portion of the pack wrappedwith an outer wrapper in an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 36 shows the pack of FIG. 25 with printed indicia or graphics inone embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 37 shows the pack of FIG. 26 containing smoking articles in oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 38 is a perspective view of one embodiment;

FIGS. 39A and 39B are side views of an embodiment;

FIG. 40 is a perspective view of an embodiment;

FIGS. 41A and 41B are side views of an embodiment;

FIG. 42 is a perspective view of an embodiment; and

FIGS. 43A and 43B are side views of an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a flip-top pack 1 for cigarettes of a firstembodiment of the invention is formed from a blank, shown in FIG. 5, andcomprises front panel 2, rear panel 3, side panels 4, 5, a bottom panel6 and a hinged lid 7, all formed by folding and gluing selected portionsof the blank shown in FIG. 5, formed of board stock sheet material suchas cardboard.

The pack has longitudinally extending beveled edge portions 8 along thejoins between the side panels 4, 5 and the front and rear panels 2, 3.

The lid 7 has sloping side edges 9 and a front edge 10 which in a closedposition is lower than hinge line 11 for the lid, and the upper edges12, 13 of the front and side panels 2, 4, 5 are correspondingly shapedto provide a close fit when the lid is shut. As shown in FIGS. 1-4, thepack is a slim pack designed to contain slim or superslim cigarettes,although the invention is not limited to such pack dimensions, and couldequally apply to packs for different sizes of cigarette of other smokingarticle, as well as packs designed to contain different numbers ofsmoking articles. In the embodiment shown, and as well known in the art,the sloping arrangement of the lid 7 provides improved access to thecigarettes when the lid is opened.

An inner frame (not shown) of board stock sheet material such ascardboard is fitted within the upper part of the opening of thecontainer e.g. by gluing and includes a re-entrant part to provide useraccess to the cigarettes. The inner frame is of a shape to bound theinterior of the front and side panels 2, 3, 4 along with the bevelededges 8 adjacent the front panel so as to act as a jam against which thelid 7 can abut when closed, with its exterior surface co-extensive withthe front and side panels 2, 4, 5. The inner frame includes dependingflanges which act as stops to hold the lid 7 when closed.

The front and rear panels 2, 3 include a plurality of circular convexprotuberances 18 in the form of raised domes, which project outward fromthe base surface 2 a, 3 a of each panel 2,3 (measured a distance ‘t’from the back side of the panels 2, 3). This can be seen more clearly inFIGS. 6 and 9 which show a cross-sectional view of a portion of thefront panel 2. The protuberances 18 are arranged in rows and columns andcover substantially the entire surface area of the front and rear panels2, 3. The protuberances 18 may be formed by embossing the surface of thepanels 2, 3 (when in the form of the blank), as will be described inmore detail later. However, other techniques can be used, for example tocompress the board material between the protuberance locations to createthe plurality of projecting domes extending from the planar surface ofthe panels 2, 3.

The protuberances can vary in size and shape within the scope of theinvention, but in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, it can be seenfrom FIGS. 6 and 9 that they have a diameter d which is typically of theorder of 1.0-1.5 mm, and a height h which is typically of the order of0.1-0.2 mm, measured from the base surface 2 a, 3 a of the front andrear panels 2, 3. The number of protrusions on each panel may also varywithin the scope of the invention, and may be from 5-2,000, convenientlyfrom 10-1,000 and more conveniently from 50-750.

The protuberances 18 have the effect of spacing an outer wrapper 19 ofthe pack from the base surfaces 2 a, 3 a of the panels 2, 3 to create anair gap between the wrapper surface and the panel surfaces 2 a, 3 a.During packaging of the pack, once the blank has been constructed andclosed with the smoking articles contained within the pack, the pack iswrapped in a wrapper 19, typically made of polypropylene. During thewrapping process, heater elements are used to seal the polypropylenewrapper around the pack, to keep the contents of the pack as fresh aspossible. The process by which the pack wrap is sealed can vary. In oneprocess, the pack is wrapped with the polypropylene wrapping and heatingelements are applied directly to the surfaces at the wrapper joins, toseal the wrapper onto the pack. In another process, the pack is wrappedin polypropylene wrapping and then passed through a heating station toheat the wrapping to shrink-fit it to the pack. In both processes,however, the heat generated by the heating elements can adversely affectthe smoking articles contained in the pack. For example, the heat candry the tobacco and the moisture loss degrades the quality of thesmoking articles and reduces their shelf life.

In conventional packs with flat-faced panels, the heat from the heaterelements may be readily conducted through the panel of the pack anddirectly to the smoking articles contained within the pack. This isprimarily because the panel is flat and so the entire surface area ofthe panel is in contact with the wrapper surface and so the heat isconducted from the heater element through the wrapper 19 to the entirepanel surface. However, in the pack of the present invention, theprotuberances 18 space the wrapper material from the surface of thepanels, creating an air gap therebetween and significantly reducing thesurface area over which the wrapper 19 contacts the panels. Therefore,the surface area available for heat to be conducted to the pack issignificantly reduced, and the air gap between the wrapper surface andthe panel base surface 2 a, 3 a between the protuberances 18 furtheracts as an insulating air gap. The effect of this is to greatly reducethe heat transfer from the heater elements and ambient environment tothe pack, and thereby to the smoking articles contained within the pack,thus significantly limiting any adverse effect of heat on the quality ofthe smoking articles contained in the pack. As the protuberances in thedescribed embodiment are all of the same height, and in sufficientnumbers, they effectively provide a surface, albeit a discontinuoussurface, spaced from the base surfaces 2 a, 3 a of the panels 2, 3,against which the wrapping is placed. Furthermore, the discontinuoussurface provided by the plurality of protuberances does not adverselyaffect the ease with which the pack may be wrapped by conventionalcigarette wrapping machinery.

In addition to the heat-insulation benefits provided by theprotuberances 18 described above, the protuberances 18 also provide atactile gripping surface on the exterior of the pack which assists theuser in gripping the pack and opening the lid 7.

The card used in the pack may have a weight of 180-300 g/squ.m, moretypically 200-280 g/squ.m, for example 240 g/squ.m, although a lightermaterial may be used, for example 215 g/squ.m. or even 200 g/squ.m. Thecard is typically of the order of 0.3 mm thick and the depth of theembossing that forms the protuberances may be of the order of 50% of theun-bossed card thickness.

A method of packaging cigarettes in the pack will now be described withreference to FIGS. 7 and 8. A magazine 20 as shown in FIG. 7 contains aplurality of blanks l′ substantially as illustrated in FIG. 5 butwithout the protuberances 18. The blanks l′ may be pre-printed andpre-formed with lines of folding in a manner well known in the art.Individual blanks are conveyed sequentially to an embossing station 21at which the protuberances 18 are embossed onto the pre-printed blank1′. Thereafter, the blanks 1′ are fed to a cigarette packaging machine22 that is fed with a supply of cigarettes. The cigarette packagingmachine 22 folds the blank 1′ so as to form the pack 1 and fills it withcigarettes wrapped in foil (not shown).

In order to form the pack, the packaging machine 22 operates in a mannerknown to those in the art, so as to fold the blank shown in FIG. 5 alongthe hatched fold lines in order to create the pack. The blank 1′comprises a front panel portion 2′ and a rear panel portion 3′ that areconnected by a base panel portion 6′. The lid is formed of a lid panelportion 7′ that has a lid top 24, a lid rear panel 25, lid front panel26 and re-entrant flaps 28-30 which can be folded inwardly to create thelid structure shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

The side walls 4, 5 of the pack are formed from panel portions 4′, 4″,5′, 5″ that depend from the front and rear panel portions 2′, 3′respectively. When the pack is folded, the panel portions 4′, 4″ and 5′,5″ overlie one another and are glued together to form the side panels 4,5.

The beveled edges 8 are created from regions 8′ by folding along hatchedfold lines 31, 32. When assembled, the lid 7 can hinge along hinge line11.

Initially, the blank may be pre-printed with trading and userinformation but is without the protuberances. They are appliedsubsequently at the embossing station 21, which may utilize an embossingtool 34 as illustrated in FIG. 8. Here, the pre-printed blank 1′ isplaced in alignment with an embossing tool 34 (shown in section) whichis moved in the direction of arrow A in order to emboss the surface ofthe blank 1′. The tool 34 includes a series of concave dimples orrecesses 35 that are a mirror of the eventual convex protuberances 18formed in the blank which, when driven downwardly onto the blank 1′,embosses the protuberances 18 into the blank to achieve theconfiguration shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 and 9.

Thereafter, the embossed blank 1′ is fed to the cigarette packagingmachine 22 shown in FIG. 7 for assembly and filling with cigarettes aspreviously described.

In the above-described example, the protuberances are shown anddescribed as projecting outwardly from the outer surfaces of the panelsof the pack, thereby affording the technical advantages of creating aninsulating air gap between the pack surface and the wrapping to preventheat degradation of the smoking articles. However, it is intended withinthe scope of the invention that the protuberances may project inwardlyfrom the inside surface(s) of the panels of the pack. Such analternative, second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 10 to12, which illustrate a portion of a blank 101′ similar to blank l′ ofthe first embodiment shown in FIG. 5. However, FIGS. 10 and 12 show thatprotuberances 118 in this second embodiment are formed on the oppositeside of the blank 101′ to those of the blank l′ of the first embodimentof the invention. Therefore, once the blank 101′ of the secondembodiment is folded to produce a cigarette pack, the protuberances 118will be inwardly-projecting and will cause the foil-wrapped cigarettes,which are to be contained within the pack, to be spaced from the insidesurface of the pack, thereby creating an insulating air-gap between thefoil-wrapped cigarettes and the inside of the pack. This insulatingair-gap helps to prevent the conduction of heat from the panels of thepack to the foil-wrapped cigarettes within the pack. This thereforeprevents the problems described above with heat-degradation of thesmoking articles from occurring.

As with the protuberances 18 of the first embodiment, the protuberances118 of the second embodiment may be applied at an embossing station,which may utilize an embossing tool 134 as illustrated in FIG. 11. Here,the pre-printed blank 101′ is placed in alignment with an embossing tool134 (shown in section) which is moved in the direction of arrow A inorder to emboss the surface of the blank 101′. The tool 134 includes aseries of concave dimples or recesses 135 that are a mirror of theeventual convex protuberances 118 formed in the blank 101′ which, whendriven upwardly onto the blank 101′, embosses the protuberances 118 intothe blank 101′ to achieve the configuration shown in FIGS. 10 and 12.The remaining steps of the method of packing cigarettes described abovein relation to the first embodiment of the invention are equallyapplicable to the pack of the second embodiment of the invention.

In the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, theinwardly-projecting protuberances 118 are provided in place of theoutwardly projecting protuberances 18 shown and described in the firstembodiment. However, the inwardly projecting protuberances 118 may beprovided in addition to the outwardly-projecting protuberances 18, andsuch an embodiment, a third embodiment of the invention, is shown inFIGS. 13 to 15, which show a portion of a blank 201′ similar to blank l′of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 5. However, FIGS. 13 and 15 showthat protuberances 218 in this third embodiment are formed on both sidesof the blank 201′, such that when the pack is folded and constructed,the pack has both inwardly and outwardly projecting protuberances 218 onthe front and rear panels of the pack. This affords the third embodimentof the invention with the increased technical advantage of two air-gapsto insulate the cigarettes from the external heat source, namely a firstair gap between the wrapping and the outer base surface of the panelsprovided by the outwardly-projecting protuberances, as with the firstembodiment of the invention, and a second air gap provided between theinner base surface of the panels and the foil-wrapped cigarettesprovided by the inwardly-projecting protuberances, as with the secondembodiment of the invention.

As with the protuberances 18,118 of the first and second embodiments,the protuberances 218 of the third embodiment may be applied at anembossing station, which may utilize an embossing tool 234 asillustrated in FIG. 14. Here, the pre-printed blank 201′ is placed inalignment with an embossing tool 234 (shown in section) which is movedin the direction of arrows A in order to emboss both of the surfaces ofthe blank 201′. The two parts of the tool 234 include a series ofconcave dimples or recesses 235 that are a mirror of the eventual convexprotuberances 218 formed in the blank 201′ which, when driven upwardlyand downwardly respectively, onto the blank 201′, emboss theprotuberances 218 into each side of the blank 201′ to achieve theconfiguration shown in FIGS. 13 and 15. The remaining steps of themethod of packing cigarettes described above in relation to the firstembodiment of the invention are equally applicable to the pack of thethird embodiment of the invention.

In either of the second or third embodiments of the invention, theprotuberances may include any of the variations in shape, configuration,size and dimensions described above in reference to the protuberances ofthe first embodiment of the invention. Furthermore, the above-describedembossing method or other methods of manufacture of the outwardlyprojecting protuberances of the first embodiment may equally beapplicable to the manufacture of the second or third embodiments of theinvention having protuberances.

In all of the first to third embodiments of the invention describedabove, the panel(s) of the packs include protuberances which projectfrom the outer and/or inner surfaces thereof. However, it is envisagedwithin the scope of the invention that one or more panels of a pack ofthe invention may alternatively include a plurality of depressionsextending into the surface of the panel(s), such as dimples orconcavities, rather than projecting convex protuberances. Such anembodiment, a fourth embodiment of the invention, is shown in FIGS. 16to 18, which show a portion of a blank 301′ similar to blank l′ of thefirst embodiment shown in FIG. 5. However, FIGS. 16 and 18 show thatpanel is provided with a plurality of concave depressions or dimples 318formed in one side of the blank 301′ instead of projecting convexprotuberances. This fourth embodiment of the invention also affords thetechnical advantage of providing air-gaps to insulate the cigarettesfrom the external heat source, namely each of the plurality ofdepressions 318 contains a small pocket of air between the wrapping andthe outer surface of the panels. The sum of all of the small discretepockets of air contained within the depressions 318 results in asignificant total insulating air space which helps to prevent heattransfer from the exterior of the pack to the smoking articles withinthe pack, thereby minimizing heat-degradation of the smoking articleswithin the pack. As with the first to third embodiments of theinvention, the depressions 318 of the fourth embodiment also serve toprovide a tactile gripping surface to increase purchase on the surfaceof the pack by a user during opening and subsequent use of the pack.

As with the protuberances of the first to third embodiments, thedepressions, shown here as concave dimples 318, of the fourth embodimentmay be applied at an embossing station, which may utilize an embossingtool 334 as illustrated in FIG. 17. Here, the pre-printed blank 301′ isplaced in alignment with an embossing tool 334 (shown in section) whichis moved in the direction of arrow A in order to emboss the surface ofthe blank 301′. The tool 334 include a series of convex domes orprotuberances 335 that are a mirror of the eventual concave dimples 318formed in the blank 301′ which, when driven downwardly onto the blank301′, emboss the concave dimples 318 into the blank 301′ to achieve theconfiguration shown in FIGS. 16 and 18. The remaining steps of themethod of packing cigarettes described above in relation to the firstembodiment of the invention are equally applicable to the pack of thefourth embodiment of the invention.

In the above-described fourth embodiment, the depressions are shown anddescribed as being formed in and extending into the outer surfaces ofthe panels of the pack, thereby affording the technical advantages ofcreating a plurality of discrete insulating air gaps or pockets betweenthe pack surface and the wrapping to prevent heat degradation of thesmoking articles. However, it is intended within the scope of theinvention that the depressions may extend into the inside surface(s) ofthe panels of the pack. Such an alternative, fifth embodiment of theinvention is shown in FIGS. 19 to 21, which illustrate a portion of ablank 401′ similar to blank 1′ of the first embodiment. However, FIGS.19 and 21 show that the blank 401′ is provided with a plurality ofconcave depressions or dimples 418 instead of projecting convexprotuberances. Also, the depressions, in the form of generally circularconcavities 418, in this fifth embodiment are formed on the oppositeside of the blank 401′ to those of the blank 301′ of the fourthembodiment of the invention. Therefore, once the blank 401′ of the fifthembodiment is folded to produce a cigarette pack, the depressions 418will extend into the inside surfaces of the panels of the pack, and sowill provide a plurality of discrete air pockets between thefoil-wrapped cigarettes, which are to be contained within the pack andthe inside surface of the pack. These insulating air pockets help toprevent the conduction of heat from the panels of the pack to thefoil-wrapped cigarettes within the pack. This therefore prevents theproblems described above with heat-degradation of the smoking articlesfrom occurring.

As with the depressions 318 of the fourth embodiment, the depressions418 of the fifth embodiment may be applied at an embossing station,which may utilize an embossing tool 434 as illustrated in FIG. 20. Here,the pre-printed blank 401′ is placed in alignment with an embossing tool434 (shown in section) which is moved in the direction of arrow A inorder to emboss the surface of the blank 401′. The tool 434 includes aseries of convex domes or protuberances 435 that are a mirror of theeventual concave depressions 418 formed in the blank 401′ which, whendriven upwardly onto the blank 401′, embosses the depressions 418 intothe blank 401′ to achieve the configuration shown in FIGS. 19 and 21.The remaining steps of the method of packing cigarettes described abovein relation to the first embodiment of the invention are equallyapplicable to the pack of the fifth embodiment of the invention.

In the fifth embodiment shown in FIGS. 19 to 21, the depressions 418 areprovided on the inside of the pack, in place of the depressions 318 onthe outside of the pack shown and described in the fourth embodiment ofFIGS. 16 to 18. However, the depressions, such as concave dimples, maybe provided on the inside surface of the pack as well as on the outsidesurface of the pack, and such an embodiment, a sixth embodiment of theinvention, is shown in FIGS. 22 to 24, which show a portion of a blank501′ similar to blanks 301′ and 401′ of the fourth and fifthembodiments. However, FIGS. 22 and 24 show that depressions 518 in thissixth embodiment are formed on both sides of the blank 501′, such thatwhen the pack is folded and constructed, the pack has depressions in theform of concave dimples, extending into both the inside and the outsidesurfaces of the panels of the pack. This affords the sixth embodiment ofthe invention with the increased technical advantage of two sets of aplurality of discrete insulating air-pockets to insulate the cigarettesfrom the external heat source, namely a first set of air pockets betweenthe wrapping and the outside surface of the panels provided by thedepressions 518 in the outside surface of the panels of the pack, aswith the fourth embodiment of the invention, and a second set of airpockets provided between the inside surface of the panels and thefoil-wrapped cigarettes provided by the depressions 518 in the insidesurface of the panels of the pack, as with the fifth embodiment of theinvention.

As with the protuberances 318,418 of the fourth and fifth embodiments,the depressions 518 of the sixth embodiment may be applied at anembossing station, which may utilize an embossing tool 534 asillustrated in FIG. 23. Here, the pre-printed blank 501′ is placed inalignment with an embossing tool 534 (shown in section) which is movedin the direction of arrows A in order to emboss the surfaces of theblank 501′. The two parts of the tool 534 include a series of convexdomes or protuberances 535 that are a mirror of the eventual concavedepressions or dimples 518 formed in each side of the blank 501′ which,when driven upwardly and downwardly respectively, onto the blank 501′,emboss the depressions 518 into each side of the blank 501′ to achievethe configuration shown in FIGS. 22 and 24. The remaining steps of themethod of packing cigarettes described above in relation to the firstembodiment of the invention are equally applicable to the pack of thesixth embodiment of the invention.

In any of the fourth to sixth embodiments of the invention, thedepressions may vary in shape, configuration and size within the scopeof the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the depressions areshown in FIGS. 16, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 24, as having a diameter d whichis typically of the order of 1.0-1.5 mm, and a depth h which istypically of the order of 0.1-0.2 mm, measured from the base,un-embossed surface of the front and rear panels. The panels have atypical un-embossed thickness t of approximately 0.3 mm, although thethickness of the panels may vary within the scope of the invention. Thenumber of depressions on each panel may also vary within the scope ofthe invention, and may be from 5-2,000, conveniently from 10-1,000 andmore conveniently from 50-750.

A seventh embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 25 and26 and is generally the same as the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4,and is described hereafter with like features retaining the samereference numerals. An inner frame 15 of board stock sheet material suchas cardboard is fitted within the upper part of the opening of the packe.g. by gluing, and includes a re-entrant part 16 to provide user accessto the cigarettes 27. The inner frame 15 is of a shape to bound theinterior of the front and side panels 2, 4, 5 along with the bevelededges 8 adjacent the front panel so as to act as a jam against which thelid 7 can abut when closed, with its exterior surface co-extensive withthe front and side panels 2, 4, 5. The inner frame 15 includes dependingflanges (not shown) which act as stops to hold the lid 7 when closed.However, the seventh embodiment shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 differs fromthat of the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 in that the frontpanel 2 includes a cut-out or re-entrant section 17 at its upper edge 13which exposes a portion of the inner frame 15 when the lid 7 is closed.The exposed portion of the inner frame 15 can be provided with printedindicia or graphics 23. In addition, the re-entrant section 16 of theinner frame 15 is located above the cut-out or re-entrant section 17 inthe front panel 2. The re-entrant section 16 in the inner frame 15 canfacilitate the removal of cigarettes from the pack by a user, byexposing a larger surface area of the top of the cigarettes, to improvepurchase on the cigarette.

An eighth embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 27 to 29, whichillustrate a portion of a blank 601′ similar to blank l′ of the firstembodiment shown in FIG. 5. Protrusions 618 are formed on the outer faceof the panels of the blank 601′ so as to project outwardly from theouter surface of a pack once the blank 601′ is folded to produce acigarette pack, providing the above-described technical advantages asper the first embodiment.

The protrusions 618 may be applied at an embossing station, which mayutilise an embossing tool 634 as illustrated in FIG. 28. The embossingtool may comprise an upper (female) portion 634 a and a lower (male)portion 634 b. The upper tool 634 a includes a series of concave dimplesor recesses 635 a that are a mirror of the eventual convex protrusions618 formed in the blank 601′. The lower embossing tool 634 b includes aseries of convex domes or protrusions 635 b that are a mirror of theconvex dimples 635 a in the upper tool 634 a. The convex protrusions 635b and concave dimples 635 a in the lower and upper tools 634 a, 634 bfit together in a male/female cooperation.

The pre-printed blank 601′ is placed in alignment with the embossingtool 634 which is moved in the direction of arrows A and the convexprotrusions 635 b press the blank to deform into the concave dimples 635a in order to emboss the surface of the blank 601′. This results in theprotrusions 618 in the outer surface of the blank 601′ shown in FIGS. 27and 29. Therefore, each protrusion 618 has a corresponding dimple 619 onan opposite, inner surface of the blank 601′. The remaining steps of themethod of packing cigarettes described above in relation to the firstembodiment of the invention are equally applicable to the pack of theeighth embodiment of the invention.

The protrusions 618 shown in FIGS. 27 and 29 are circular and have adiameter d and a height h measured from the base, un-embossed outersurface of the panel/blank 601′. The panels/blank 601′ has anun-embossed thickness t. Therefore, the protrusions 618 extend adistance (t+h) from the inside surface, that is, the plane of the insidesurface, of the panel/blank 601′, as can be seen in FIG. 29. Theprotrusions may be spaced from each other by a distance equal to or lessthan the diameter d of each protrusion, as can be seen from FIG. 29, andalso in the earlier embodiments described above in FIGS. 9, 12 and 15.This optimises the technical effect of keeping an outer wrapper spacedfrom the panel surface to provide a heat-insulating air gap, asdescribed previously. However, the protrusions 618 may include any ofthe variations in shape, configuration, size and dimensions describedabove in reference to the protrusions of the first embodiment of theinvention.

Many modifications and variations of the described packs fall within thescope of the invention. For example, the number of protuberances ordepressions and the arrangement of protuberances or depressions on thefront and rear panels of the pack may be different. Also, not all of thefront panel need be provided with the protuberances or depressions andinstead, protuberances or depressions may be provided in discrete areasof one or more panels, whilst still providing the advantages describedabove.

In addition, the exact diameter d and height h of the protuberances ordepressions may vary within the scope of the invention, and although theprotuberances or depressions are shown as being round, various othershaped protuberances or depressions may equally be provided, forexample, oval, square, rectangular, triangular, etc. Furthermore, notall of the protuberances or depressions need to be the same size and/orshape on the pack, and could vary across the panel(s). Such variationsof protuberances would still result in a pack having the raised outersurface and tactile surface providing the above-mentioned technicaladvantages, which are provided by the embodiments of the inventionhaving round protuberances, described above. Furthermore, suchvariations of depressions would still result in a pack having the aplurality of discrete insulating air-pockets and tactile surfaceproviding the above-mentioned technical advantages, which are providedby the embodiments of the invention having round depressions, describedabove.

Furthermore, although the described packs have beveled edges, the edgesmay be of an alternative shape, such as rectangular or curved.

The packs shown and described in the exemplary embodiments are slimpacks designed to contain slim or superslim cigarettes. However, theinvention is not limited to a pack having such dimensions, and mayequally be applied to any other shaped pack, including conventionalkingsize cigarette pack sizes generally designed to contain twentykingsize cigarettes.

Also, the embossing tools for the embossing station could be a rotaryembossing device and other ways of creating the protuberances ordepressions will be apparent to those skilled in the art, which do notnecessarily involve embossing. Also, the blanks may be pre-formed withthe protuberances or depressions at the time of manufacture so that theblanks held in the magazine already have the protuberances ordepressions, which avoids the need for the embossing station.

In the described examples, the protuberances or depressions are providedon both of the front and rear panels. However, they may also be providedon only the front or the rear panel, or also on the base panel and/orside panels, as well as on the lid, or any combination thereof.

Any of the card weights and dimensions described above in relation tothe first embodiment, equally may apply to the second to eighthembodiments of the invention.

Whilst the invention has been described in relation to a flip-top packit can be used in connection with other packs for smoking articles whichdo not necessarily have a lid, for example a container that holds aplurality of flip-top cigarette packs.

Many other modifications and variations will be evident that fall withinthe scope of the following claims.

The entirety of this disclosure (including the Cover Page, Title,Headings, Field, Background, Summary, Brief Description of the Drawings,Detailed Description, Claims, Abstract, Figures, and otherwise) shows byway of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed inventionsmay be practiced. The advantages and features of the disclosure are of arepresentative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/orexclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teachthe claimed principles. It should be understood that they are notrepresentative of all claimed inventions. As such, certain aspects ofthe disclosure have not been discussed herein. That alternateembodiments may not have been presented for a specific portion of theinvention or that further undescribed alternate embodiments may beavailable for a portion is not to be considered a disclaimer of thosealternate embodiments. It will be appreciated that many of thoseundescribed embodiments incorporate the same principles of the inventionand others are equivalent. Thus, it is to be understood that otherembodiments may be utilized and functional, logical, organizational,structural and/or topological modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. As such, allexamples and/or embodiments are deemed to be non-limiting throughoutthis disclosure. Also, no inference should be drawn regarding thoseembodiments discussed herein relative to those not discussed hereinother than it is as such for purposes of reducing space and repetition.For instance, it is to be understood that the structure of anycombination of any components, other components and/or any presentfeature sets as described in the figures and/or throughout are notlimited to a fixed order and/or arrangement, but rather, any disclosedorder is exemplary and all equivalents, regardless of order, arecontemplated by the disclosure. As such, some of these features may bemutually contradictory, in that they cannot be simultaneously present ina single embodiment. Similarly, some features are applicable to oneaspect of the invention, and inapplicable to others. In addition, thedisclosure includes other inventions not presently claimed. Applicantreserves all rights in those presently unclaimed inventions includingthe right to claim such inventions, file additional applications,continuations, continuations in part, divisions, and/or the likethereof. As such, it should be understood that advantages, embodiments,examples, functional, features, logical, organizational, structural,topological, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to beconsidered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims orlimitations on equivalents to the claims.

1. A pack for smoking articles comprising major front and rear planarpanels and minor side planar panels configured to form a pack, whereinat least one of the major panels includes a plurality of discreteprotrusions spaced from each other and projecting outwardly from anouter surface of at least one major panel.
 2. The pack according toclaim 1, wherein both the front and rear panels include saidprotrusions.
 3. The pack according to claim 1, wherein the side panelsinclude said protrusions.
 4. The pack according to claim 1, furthercomprising top and bottom panels, wherein the top panel includes saidprotrusions.
 5. The pack according to claim 1, further comprising topand bottom panels, and wherein the bottom panel includes saidprotrusions.
 6. The pack according to claim 1, further comprising a toppanel which comprises a lid.
 7. The pack according to claim 6, whereinthe lid comprises a flip top.
 8. The pack according to claim 1, whereinthe protrusions are embossed.
 9. The pack according to claim 1, whereinthe pack is fabricated from sheet material, and wherein the protrusionsare formed in the thickness of the sheet material.
 10. The packaccording to claim 9, wherein the sheet material comprises cardboard.11. The pack according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions are formed onsubstantially the entire surface area of at least one of the panels. 12.The pack according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions are formed ononly a portion of the surface area of at least one of the panels. 13.The pack according to claim 1, wherein protrusions project from one ormore of the outer surfaces and one or more of the inner surfaces of atleast one of the panels.
 14. The pack according to claim 1, wherein atleast one panel includes between 5 and 2000 protrusions.
 15. The packaccording to claim 14, wherein at least one panel includes between 10and 1000 protrusions.
 16. The pack according to claim 15, wherein atleast one panel includes between 50 and 750 protrusions.
 17. The packaccording to claim 1, wherein all of the protrusions project from arespective panel surface by the same distance.
 18. The pack according toclaim 1, wherein the protrusions are generally circular and convex inshape.
 19. The pack according to claim 1, wherein the protrusions areformed in regular rows and columns on at least one panel surface. 20.The pack according to claim 1, further comprising an outer wrapperspaced from the surface of at least one panel of the pack by saidprotrusions.
 21. The pack according to claim 1, further comprising aninner frame within the pack.
 22. The pack according to claim 21, whereinthe pack comprises a front panel which includes a cut-out portion whichexposes a portion of the inner frame.
 23. The pack according to claim22, wherein the exposed portion of the inner frame is printed with atleast one of indicia and graphics.
 24. The pack according to claim 1,wherein corner edges of the pack are one of bevelled, curved, andrectangular.
 25. The pack according to claim 1, containing smokingarticles.
 26. The pack according to claim 25, wherein the smokingarticles comprise cigarettes.
 27. A blank for fabricating a pack forsmoking articles, comprising major front and rear planar panel portionsand minor side planar panel portions, wherein at least one of the majorpanel portions includes a plurality of discrete protrusions spaced fromeach other and projecting outwardly from an outer surface of at leastone major panel portion.
 28. A method of fabricating a pack for smokingarticles from a blank comprising major front and rear planar panelportions and minor side panel portions, the method comprising forming inat least one of the major panel portions a plurality of discreteprotrusions spaced from each other and projecting outwardly from anouter surface of at least one major panel portion.
 29. The methodaccording to claim 28, further comprising embossing the blank to formthe protrusions.
 30. The method according to claim 29, furthercomprising feeding successive blanks from a magazine thereof to anembossing station to form said protrusions, and feeding the embossedblanks to a cigarette packaging machine to be formed into packs filledwith cigarettes.
 31. The method according to claim 30, furthercomprising wrapping the pack in an outer wrapping subsequent to thepacks being filled with cigarettes, sealing the wrapping onto the packusing heat from a heater element and forming an air gap between thewrapping and the surface of the pack by the plurality of protuberancesspacing the wrapping from the pack surface.